Thomas b



'(No Model.)

1 T. B. ELLIS.

WRENCH.

115. 558,451. 5555155 Apr. 14, 1896.

AN DREW B.GRAHAM. PHO'lO-LITHQWASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ll. ELLIS, OF JEFFERSON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ZELA A. CHURCH, OF SAME PLACE.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,451, dated April 14:, 1896. Application filed July 30,1895. Serial No. 557,597. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. ELLIS, a citizen of United States, residing at J eiferson, in the county of Greene and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wrenches.

The object of the invention is to produce a wrench which by a simple and easy manipulation of the parts may be adapted for use on nuts of varying sizes, and, further, the obj ect is to produce a compact, easily-constructed, and simple wrench which may be adapted for use on nuts of varying sizes and which is adapted to be placed upon the nut to be turned and clamped thereto to prevent slipping in turning the nut.

Further, the object of the invention is to produce a wrench having the working parts, upon which most wear is liable to come, of such construction as to enable the parts to be readily removed and substituted by others.

The invention consists of a wrench comprising sliding jaws provided with inclined faces, a rod engaging the jaws and adapted to move the same longitudinally, and guides against which the inclined faces of the jaws bear, whereby by moving the rod longitudinally'the movement will be imparted to the jaws and their outer ends caused to approach or reoede from each other.

Further, the invention consists of a wrench comprising a series of jaws provided with inclined faces, suitably mounted on a shank in such way as to permit of lateral movement, guides provided with inclined bearing-surfaces against which the inclined faces of the jaws bear, a rod provided at its end with a screw-thread and engaging the jaws, and a nut for moving the rod.

Further, the invention consists of a wrench comprising a hollow shank provided with cross-pieces forming a handle, sliding jaws having inclined faces suitably mounted on the shank in a manner to allow their longitudinal movement, guides arranged in contact with the jaws and provided with inclined faces, a rod engaging the jaws, and a nut attached to the rod and capable of moving the rod and the jaws longitudinally.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of a wrench constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the sliding jaws. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the sliding rod and the nut for manipulating the same, and Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the guides.

In the drawings, A represents the shank of the wrench, which is provided at its upper ends with projections a, forming a handle for turning the tool. Near the lower ends of the shank are out a series of grooves a and at the extreme lower end of the tool, on the shank A, is formed a collar A This collar is grooved on its inner face at points a and these grooves register with the grooves a The collar forms one of the guides for regulating the positions of the sliding jaws, to be described hereinafter.

A collar 13 is arranged a short distance from the lower end of the wrench and is attached to the shank by means of screws 6. Intermediate between the screws b and on the inner face of'the ring are cut a series of incline ways b which register with the grooves a in the shank.

The ring B forms the upper guide for regulating the positions of the jaws.

0 represents the sliding jaws,which are arranged in the grooves a? and are confined therein by the collars A and B. The outer faces of the jaws are inclined at each end, the inclined face a being arranged beneath the collar B when the parts are assembled, and the inclined faces 0 being arranged beneath the collar A The incline c is arranged in a plane a short distance below the incline c and the arrangement of the parts, and the shape of the inclines are such that the jaws are always in contact with both the collars Whatever the lateral position of the jaws may be. This arrangement of the parts insures the rigid holding of the jaws at each end and permits no play when adjusted to any desired position. The lower faces of the jaws are provided with rounded projections 0 which form trunnions, and which are received bya circumferential groove (1 in a longitudinally-movable rod D, arranged with the shank.

The upper end of the rod D is screw-thread ed and it receives motion from an adjustingnut E, having handles placed at the upper end of the tool. The adj listing-nut E is provided with a circular groove e, receiving screws 6 passing through the upper end of "the shank of the tool and entering the groove, the arrangement being such as to permit the free turning of the nut and at the same time to prevent other movement.

In the operation of the device, the parts being formed and arranged as described, the jaws maybe adjusted quickly to receive a nut of any size by turning the adj usting-nut E in the required direction. This motion is communicated through the rod D to the jaws, and by sliding them out-ward or inward their lower ends are caused to approach or reeede from each other.

In removing a nut-for instance, from a wagon-axle by my wrench the jaws may be adjusted to the required size to receive the nut, and then byturning the adj usting-nut E the jaws may be tightened upon the nut to be removed, and thus retain the nut while turning and after removing it from the axle and until it is replaced upon the axle.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the wrenches can be made of any desired size and of any suitable material, adapting them for all the uses to which tools of this kind are ordinarily placed.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A wrench comprising pivoted jaws capable of longitudinal movement, each jaw being provided with two inclines, a rod engaging the jaws and adapted to move the same longitudinally, and guides against which the inclines bear, substantially as described.

2. A wrench comprising a plurality of jaws, each jaw being provided with two inclines on its outer face and with a projection on its inner face, a longitudinally-movable rod having a groove therein, and guides arranged in contact with the inclines on the outer faces of the respective jaws, substantially as described.

3. A wrench comprising a hollow shank provided with cross pieces forming a handle, sliding jaws having inclined faces suitably mounted on the shank to allow their longitudinal movement, guides arranged in contact with the jaws and provided with inclined faces, a rod engaging the jaws and provided with a screw-threaded end, a nut having a circumferential groove provided with projections forming a handle, and screws projecting through the shank and entering the circumferential groove, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS l3. ELLIS.

lVitnesses:

W. W. TURNER, OWEN LOVEJOY. 

